Many procedures for the exploration and treatment of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract involve the insertion of an endoscope into the GI tract. During examinations, a user may navigate the GI anatomy using a steerable endoscopic tip, or alternatively by performing a series of torquing, pushing and pulling maneuvers at the proximal end of the device to advance and direct the distal end. The forces applied to the endoscope are transferred to the surrounding tissue and may be problematic and painful. Movement of the endoscope may cause spasms and may, in certain cases, even perforate the intestine. It is therefore necessary to perform the procedure slowly and at times, it may not be possible to reach remote areas without unduly traumatizing surrounding tissue.
Various guides have been developed in order to absorb this stress and facilitate insertion of the endoscope while minimizing the impact on the lumenal walls. However, the current guides are often expensive, bulky and/or require added steps which unduly complicate the procedures.